Tag: sci-fi

Black Tide by KC Jones #bookreview #horror #scifi

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews24 Comments

KC Jones’ Black Tide, a character-driven science fiction/horror novel that explores what happens after a cataclysmic event leaves the world crawling with nightmares, will be published by Nightfire in May 2022!

A story with a cinematic feel, Black Tide is Cujo meets A Quiet Place.

It was just another day at the beach. And then the world ended.

Mike and Beth didn’t know each other existed before the night of the meteor shower. A melancholy film producer and a house sitter barely scraping by, chance made them neighbors, a bottle of champagne brought them together, and a shared need for human connection sparked something more.

After a drunken and desperate one-night-stand, the two strangers awake to discover a surprise astronomical event has left widespread destruction in its wake. But the cosmic lightshow was only a part of something much bigger, and far more terrifying. When a set of lost car keys leaves them stranded on an empty stretch of Oregon coast, when their emergency calls go unanswered and inhuman screams echo from the dunes, when the rising tide reaches for the car and unspeakable horrors close in around them, these two self-destructive souls must find in each other the strength to overcome past pain and the fight to survive a nightmare of apocalyptic scale. 

The comp titles – Cujo and A Quiet Place – immediately piqued my interest, and a beach setting sealed the deal.

Like Cujo, much of this story is spent with the two main characters trapped in a car. As in A Quiet Place, silence is the best way to avoid these invading creatures. A little over two hundred fifty pages, this is a well-paced, quick read, and the action starts almost immediately. At first glance, Beth and Mike aren’t people you’d bet on to survive an alien invasion. Beth is irresponsible and basically a trainwreck, and Mike is teetering on a life and death decision in his personal life. But you play the hand you’re dealt.

After both characters have bizarre experiences during the night (dreams? hallucinations?), their day gets even worse when they go to the beach and discover they weren’t dreaming or imagining things. Their world has been invaded, and the beach is being attacked. The descriptions of the alien creatures are creepy and very visual. Some of the scenes are fairly graphic, so if you’re a reader who prefers to avoid gore you might want to skip some paragraphs. The characters run into one obstacle after another in their attempts to survive, and there are plenty of tense scenes to sink your teeth into. Most are within the confines of a small car, and with two adults, a dog, and sweltering temps during the day it can feel pretty claustrophobic.

I like the way the author chose to end the story, leaving a feeling of hope for the characters because the odds sure aren’t in their favor. Black Tide is an intriguing blend of sci-fi and horror providing terror-filled visual scenes for fans of the genres.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Megacity (Operation Galton #3) by Terry Tyler #bookreview #dystopian #thriller #TuesdayBookBlog

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews34 Comments

The UK’s new megacities: contented citizens relieved of the financial burden of home ownership, living in eco-friendly communities. Total surveillance has all but wiped out crime, and biometric sensor implants detect illness before symptoms are apparent.

That’s the hype. Scratch the surface, and darker stories emerge.

Tara is offered the chance to become a princess amongst media influencers—as long as she keeps quiet and does as she’s told.

Aileen uproots to the megacity with some reluctance, but none of her misgivings prepare her for the situation she will face: a mother’s worst nightmare.

Radar has survived gang rule in group homes for the homeless, prison and bereavement, and jumps at the chance to live a ‘normal’ life. But at what cost?

For all three, the price of living in a megacity may prove too high.

Megacity is the third and final book in the dystopian Operation Galton trilogy, and is Terry Tyler’s twenty-third publication.

This series has held me captivated, but it’s also unsettling. It’s not such a stretch of the imagination to believe this could happen in our world. Think too hard about it, and I guarantee you’ll lose sleep.

With each novel in the series and jumps in time, I’ve enjoyed meeting new characters while also learning bits and pieces about what happened to those I’ve cared about in the other books. A big thanks to the author for that, and also for the included recaps of the previous two novels. The three primary POVs are from Tara, Aileen, and Radar – all with drastically different stories and circumstances, but my heart went out to each of them. They’ve lost control over their own lives and are strugging to survive. I wanted only good things for these characters, but having read several other books by this author, I didn’t get my hopes up. No spoilers.

These villains are the absolute worst – narcissistic, power hungry, and willing to do anything to achieve their goals. I felt frustration, anger, and sorrow for Tara, Aileen, and Radar and wanted the baddies to suffer for all their misdeeds – trust me when I say there are plenty. Be prepared for some graphically violent scenes that may shock you.

The idea of a future that resembles this world is terrifying, but it sure makes for an addictive dystopian/thriller series with characters I cheered for at every turn. Reaching the end was bittersweet.

#ReleaseDay The Insurgent (The Colony #2) #YA #dystopian #scifi #Giveaway #freebook

On By Teri PolenIn Promotions35 Comments

It’s finally here! A little over two years after the release of the first book in this duology, Subject A36, the sequel is now out in the world. These characters and I fought during the pandemic, but finally mended our ways, found common ground and finished their story. Some days I wasn’t so sure we’d make it, but despite all the strife, I sure am going to miss them.

If you haven’t read Subject A36 (The Colony #1), next week is the perfect opportunity to get caught up – it will be on sale for $0.99 May 25th through May 27th!

I’m also giving away signed copies (US only) or ebooks (international) of the duology to one lucky winner! All you have to do is comment on any of my social media (here, Twitter or Instagram @tpolen6 or Facebook at Teri Polen, Author) and a random commenter will be chosen next Friday, May 27th!

I’ll be slow getting to comments over the next couple days due to moving my son (flying to Austin, loading a UHaul, then driving back to KY – woohoo!), but I’ll get to everyone as soon as I can.

Sharing is appreciated!

Purchase Links
Amazon (print, ebook, and Kindle Unlimited)

Barnes & Noble (print only)

Black Rose Writing (print only)

If a megalomaniac threatened your family, would you give up your freedom for them? Would you give up your soul?

Asher Solomon is faced with that choice. And makes the ultimate sacrifice.

Exactly as Director Silas Reeves expected him to.

Unable to live as the Colony’s premier assassin, Ash retreats to a corner of his mind, ceding control of his body to the alter-ego he was engineered to be—Subject A36. As he’s unleashed to battle the Insurgents, the only family he ever knew, the tide of war shifts in Silas’s favor.

Combined with his expansion into new territories, the director is poised to take over the world.

But the Insurgents don’t give up easily. Not on their cause, and not on their people. With the help of a few double agents deep in the Colony, they stand a fighting chance at ending Silas’s reign.

In order to shut down the program, they face almost insurmountable odds. And their most dangerous foe—their former champion turned killing machine, A36. 

Alone Out Here by Riley Redgate #bookreview #YA #scifi #apocalyptic

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews23 Comments

What do you stand for, when you’re one of the last left standing?

The year is 2072. Soon a volcanic eruption will trigger catastrophic devastation, and the only way out is up.

While the world’s leaders, scientists, and engineers oversee the frantic production of a space fleet meant to save humankind, their children are brought in for a weekend of touring the Lazarus, a high-tech prototype spaceship. But when the apocalypse arrives months ahead of schedule, First Daughter Leigh Chen and a handful of teens from the tour are the only ones to escape the planet.

This is the new world: a starship loaded with a catalog of human artifacts, a frozen menagerie of animal DNA, and fifty-three terrified survivors. From the panic arises a coalition of leaders, spearheaded by the pilot’s enigmatic daughter, Eli, who takes the wheel in their hunt for a habitable planet. But as isolation presses in, their uneasy peace begins to fracture. The struggle for control will mean the difference between survival and oblivion, and Leigh must decide whether to stand on the side of the mission or of her own humanity.

With aching poignancy and tense, heart-in-your-mouth action, this enthralling saga will stay with readers long after the final page.

This is described as Lord of the Flies in space. There’s no way I wasn’t requesting it from NetGalley.

The chaos begins almost immediately when a volcanic eruption happens months ahead of schedule. High-tech prototype spaceship Lazarus isn’t quite ready, but there are no other options if the human race is to survive. When it launches, it’s without a trained crew. A ship meant to support thousands is filled with only fifty-three frightened teenagers who won’t reach their final destination for over one thousand years.

A small group of the teens emerge as leaders, including First Daughter Leigh and the pilot’s daughter, Eli, who’s not exactly trained, but isn’t unfamiliar with the ship. She’s the best they’ve got and in their situation, it’s boots to the ground right away. It’s not long before these characters learn their situation is even worse – food is seriously limited, and they only have a remote chance at finding more. That location is months away, so rationing is crucial. The teens also face the harsh realization that their small group is responsible for restarting the population.

It’s not long before their already precarious situation breaks down even more with a clash of opinions and priorities, accusations against the council of teens running the show, violence, and struggles for power. Honestly, everyone’s opinion makes sense at different points in the story. It devolves into a demonstration of the ugliness of humans and their inability to learn from history – and it’s disheartening.

The cast of characters is long, and I found myself confusing some of them – they’re diverse, coming from all over the world, but not as distinct. I also wondered about some of the scientific aspects, but the focus of the story is primarily about the dynamics between the characters.

The concept of this story had me hook, line, and sinker, and although an engaging story, the novel isn’t exactly what I’d hoped it would be.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart #bookreview #scifi #mystery #TuesdayBookBlog

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews33 Comments

An impossible crime. A detective on the edge of madness. The future of time travel at stake. From the author of The Warehouse.

January Cole’s job just got a whole lot harder.

Not that running security at the Paradox was ever really easy. Nothing’s simple at a hotel where the ultra-wealthy tourists arrive costumed for a dozen different time periods, all eagerly waiting to catch their “flights” to the past.

Or where proximity to the timeport makes the clocks run backward on occasion—and, rumor has it, allows ghosts to stroll the halls.

None of that compares to the corpse in room 526. The one that seems to be both there and not there. The one that somehow only January can see.

On top of that, some very important new guests have just checked in. Because the U.S. government is about to privatize time-travel technology—and the world’s most powerful people are on hand to stake their claims.

January is sure the timing isn’t a coincidence. Neither are those “accidents” that start stalking their bidders.

There’s a reason January can glimpse what others can’t. A reason why she’s the only one who can catch a killer who’s operating invisibly and in plain sight, all at once.

But her ability is also destroying her grip on reality—and as her past, present, and future collide, she finds herself confronting not just the hotel’s dark secrets but her own.

At once a dazzlingly time-twisting murder mystery and a story about grief, memory, and what it means to—literally—come face-to-face with our ghosts, The Paradox Hotel is another unforgettable speculative thrill ride from acclaimed author Rob Hart. 

A hotel that’s a sort of weigh station where time travelers catch their “flights” to the past – what an amazing concept. Throw in a murder with a corpse that only the investigator can see, a seemingly endless cast of suspects, and a group of trillionaires bidding to take over the hotel – there’s a lot going on in this novel, and I wanted to see how it played out.

MC January Jones is intimidating. She’s a no-nonsense, intelligent, take-no-prisoners kind of gal who doesn’t suffer fools gladly and has little patience for entitled rich hotel guests. Extensively trained in martial arts, she’s not someone you want to tangle with. She’s also “unstuck” – time is fluid and she sees memories from the past playing out as if they’re happening in the present and occurrences in the future that may or may not come to pass. It’s a result of the extensive time traveling she did while working for the Time Enforcement Agency – which makes her an unreliable narrator at times. Still deeply grieving the death of her girlfriend, she’s abrasive to everyone she encounters.

Between the guests and hotel employees, there’s a long list of suspects, and it was difficult for me to keep up with everyone – I flipped back several times to refresh my memory. Despite that, I guessed who was behind everything from nearly the beginning, so I gave myself a pat on the back for that one. In addition to the murder and attacks on guests, someone is messing with the timeline resulting in catastrophic consequences. January has her work cut out for her.

A lot is packed into this novel – themes of deep grief and guilt, wealth inequities, found families, and Buddhist philosophy. Oh – and dinosaurs. This is a mind-bending, complex story you absolutely can’t skim through, but it enthralled this sci-fi fan, and I thought the epilogue was perfect.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wakers by Orson Scott Card #bookreview #YA #scifi #clones

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews29 Comments

From the New York Times bestselling author of Enders Game comes a brand-new series following a teen who wakes up on an abandoned Earth to discover that he’s a clone!

Laz is a side-stepper: a teen with the incredible power to jump his consciousness to alternate versions of himself in parallel worlds. All his life, there was no mistake that a little side-stepping couldn’t fix.

Until Laz wakes up one day in a cloning facility on a seemingly abandoned Earth.

Laz finds himself surrounded by hundreds of other clones, all dead, and quickly realizes that he too must be a clone of his original self. Laz has no idea what happened to the world he remembers as vibrant and bustling only yesterday, and he struggles to survive in the barren wasteland he’s now trapped in. But the question that haunts him isn’t why was he created, but instead, who woke him up…and why?

There’s only a single bright spot in Laz’s new life: one other clone appears to still be alive, although she remains asleep. Deep down, Laz believes that this girl holds the key to the mysteries plaguing him, but if he wakes her up, she’ll be trapped in this hellscape with him.

This is one problem that Laz can’t just side-step his way out of.

Clones, parallel worlds, and a teen with the ability to “side-step” into those worlds. I was eager to see what this author did with the concept.

After Laz wakes up surrounded by hundreds of dead clones, his loneliness is palpable. Although he remembers living in California, he finds himself in Greensboro, NC and seems to be the only human around. A pack of four dogs he comes across are his only friends until he discovers one other clone who survived. Once she wakes, their primary goals are one, to survive, and two, figure out why they were cloned.

The first part of this novel fascinated me, and I marveled at side-stepping and everything it entails. Laz can step into another version of himself in a parallel world and retain his memories while also absorbing the memories of his new self. Pretty cool, right? Some of his stories of when and why he’d chosen to side-step are amusing. Awkward moment with a date? Side-step. Get into too much trouble at school? Side-step. Once he and Ivy learn why they were cloned and what’s expected of them, the story takes a turn.

The banter between Laz and Ivy is sometimes witty, but can go on for pages, and I occasionally struggled with pacing. The same can be said about the science of their combined abilities. Especially in the last 40% or so, the dialogue becomes very science-heavy and can be difficult to keep up with, but the high concept held me enthralled.

With incredible world-building, a likeable, sarcastic main character, and a clever concept, this is a book I enjoyed, but I would only recommend it to true sci-fi fans.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton #bookreview #scifi #clones #TuesdayBookBlog

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews17 Comments

Mickey7, an “expendable,” refuses to let his replacement clone Mickey8 take his place.

Dying isn’t any fun…but at least it’s a living.

Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous—even suicidal—the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. After six deaths, Mickey7 understands the terms of his deal…and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it.

On a fairly routine scouting mission, Mickey7 goes missing and is presumed dead. By the time he returns to the colony base, surprisingly helped back by native life, Mickey7’s fate has been sealed. There’s a new clone, Mickey8, reporting for Expendable duties. The idea of duplicate Expendables is universally loathed, and if caught, they will likely be thrown into the recycler for protein.

Mickey7 must keep his double a secret from the rest of the colony. Meanwhile, life on Niflheim is getting worse. The atmosphere is unsuitable for humans, food is in short supply, and terraforming is going poorly. The native species are growing curious about their new neighbors, and that curiosity has Commander Marshall very afraid. Ultimately, the survival of both lifeforms will come down to Mickey7.

That is, if he can just keep from dying for good.

Cloning has always been a fascinating topic for me, and the concept of Expendables is a new one. The combination of the two made this book irresistable.

No doubt about it – Mickey7 has a crappy job. He knew what he was in for when he took it, but dying doesn’t get any easier. He retains his memories (he uploads periodically), but every death has also been painful and occasionally messy. I immediately liked Mickey. His voice reminds me of Mark Watney in The Martian – snarky, self-depracating, and humorous. He also breaks the fourth wall and speaks to the reader, something I especially loved.

Things aren’t going so well on the colonization mission. Food is in short supply, rations are being cut, and vegetation is dying. They’re also being threatened by local lifeforms, the Creepers. Think centipede-like creatures but a million times bigger. And they tear people to shreds and eat them. Mickey’s existence is threatened even more when Mickey8 is taken from the tank after Mickey7 goes missing and is presumed dead. Multiples are forbidden to exist at the same time. Many of the crew are kind of weirded out by clones, and most of them steer clear of Mickey, anyway. A religious group of Natalists on board consider clones to be soulless abominations, and it doesn’t help that Mickey’s commander is a believer. To say the two of them have a tension-filled relationship is an understatement.

This novel wasn’t exactly what I’d expected. I was prepared for more action and exploration into the Creepers, but the majority of the story focuses on the Mickeys keeping their dual existence a secret – which, of course, is impossible. Especially since he/they have a girlfriend. The story brings the Theseus’ Paradox into play (a thought experiment that raises the question of whether an object that has had all of its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object), something that was really thought-provoking. I also enjoyed the stories about the different colonies throughout history.

I’ve seen comp titles of Dark Matter and The Martian (two outstanding reads), but I can’t say Mickey7 is exactly like either of them. I’d categorize this novel as light sci-fi filled with loads of tension, a little action, a splash of romance, and a healthy serving of humor.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Reaper: Aftermath (Reaper #2) by Jonathan Pongratz #bookreview #scifi #horror #TuesdayBookBlog

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews22 Comments

Gregory ended the world. Can he save it?

It’s been five years since the Reapers ripped Gregory’s family apart and invaded Earth, leaving behind a wake of decimation. Gregory and a small group of survivors now scavenge the wastelands, living in constant fear of discovery.

Weighed down by relentless blame for the planet’s destruction, Gregory seeks to make up for his past mistakes. He gets that chance when a surprise attack forces him through a Reaper door. Gregory finds himself in a bizarre place with no way back, a place that may provide answers to the Reapers’ past and where they came from.

Can Gregory find a way to destroy the Reapers and restore order to his broken world, or is the human race doomed to lose the war against these ruthless monsters? 

The first book in this series was a novella that reinforced the often ignored rule about basements being bad news in the horror genre. The fates of those characters were left undetermined, so I was ectastatic when I learned the author had expanded the story.

The past five years haven’t been kind to these characters. Humans are still in hiding, struggling to survive every day as they fight the Reapers. Looking for someone to blame for their plight, most of Gregory’s group make him the scapegoat since he initially opened the door and let the Reapers in. He blames himself not only for that, but also the loss of his little sister Imogene since she was taken by the Reapers.

During a battle, the story takes a turn that blindsided me. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at first, but it really makes sense within this world. Without giving away spoilers, Gregory finds himself in unfamiliar territory and must find a way to get back to his family. He makes some strong allies, but getting back home isn’t an easy journey, and he faces many battles first.

Gregory undergoes tremendous growth over the story and has a wonderful character arc. I enjoyed watching him progress from an immature teenager to a responsible, clever young man. I had to suspend my disbelief a bit with the maturity of another character, but gave them them the benefit of the doubt taking into account what they’d experienced over the past five years.

As a devout sci-fi and horror fan, I enjoyed the blending of genres and also appreciated the nail-biting action scenes. There’s even a sweet romance tossed in the mix. I’m excited to see what this author does next.

Light Years From Home by Mike Chen #BlogTour #bookreview #scifi #family

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews24 Comments

Every family has issues. Most can’t blame them on extraterrestrials.

Evie Shao and her sister, Kass, aren’t on speaking terms. Fifteen years ago on a family camping trip, their father and brother vanished. Their dad turned up days later, dehydrated and confused—and convinced he’d been abducted by aliens. Their brother, Jakob, remained missing. The women dealt with it very differently. Kass, suspecting her college-dropout twin simply ran off, became the rock of the family. Evie traded academics to pursue alien conspiracy theories, always looking for Jakob.

When Evie’s UFO network uncovers a new event, she goes to investigate. And discovers Jakob is back. He’s different—older, stranger, and talking of an intergalactic war—but the tensions between the siblings haven’t changed at all. If the family is going to come together to help Jakob, then Kass and Evie are going to have to fix their issues, and fast. Because the FBI is after Jakob, and if their brother is telling the truth, possibly an entire space armada, too.

The perfect combination of action, imagination and heart, Light Years From Home is a touching drama about a challenge as difficult as saving the galaxy: making peace with your family…and yourself.

My Review

I’ve read a couple other books by this author, and he’s never disappointed. When I was offered a chance to participate in the blog tour for his new release, I jumped at the opportunity.

What a hook this book has. If I only read the first two sentences in the description, I’d snatch it up. As a sci-fi fan, I was all in with the extraterrestial angle, but if you’re looking for hoards of aliens, spaceships, and intergalactic war, that’s not what this story is about. Yes, it’s in the background, but this is a book about a family dealing with loss, grief, guilt, and understanding. After Jakob disappears – presumably abducted by aliens – each family member deals with his absence in different ways. Fifteen years later his sisters, Evie and Kass, live on opposite sides of the country and are barely on speaking terms. Kass shoulders heavy family responsibilities, and Evie has dropped out of school to pursue alien conspiracy theories.

Chen has an amazing talent for creating characters that leap off the page. With three POVs (Kass, Evie, and Jakob), each has a distinct voice. Once this broken family is reunited, their interactions are painful, loud, maddening, humorous, and entirely realistic. Sure, they still love each other, but they can also barely stand to be in the same room. Evie believes everything about Jakob’s story of space wars and where he’s been for the past fifteen years, but Kass rationalizes it to the point that Evie begins to doubt him. Is he telling the truth? Is he delusional? With a party boy reputation in his teen years, Jakob believes he’s finally found where he belongs and can make a difference.

With themes of forgiveness, finding your place, love, and acceptance, I read this book in a day. Beautifully written and full of heart, it’s one I’d highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mike Chen is the author of the award-nominated Here And Now And Then and featured in Star Wars: From A Certain Point Of View—The Empire Strikes Back. He has covered geek culture for sites such as Tor.com, The Mary Sue, and StarTrek.com and used to cover the NHL for Fox Sport and other outlets. A member of SFWA, Mike lives in the Bay Area with his wife, daughter, and rescue animals.

SOCIAL LINKS:

Author website: https://www.mikechenbooks.com/ 

Twitter: @mikechenwriter

Instagram: @mikechenwriter

BUY LINKS:

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/books/light-years-from-home/9780778311737 

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/light-years-from-home-mike-chen/1139205091 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Light-Years-Home-Mike-Chen/dp/0778311732

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/light-years-from-home

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/light-years-from-home/id1562318173 

Google Books: https://books.google.com/books/about/Light_Years_from_Home.html?id=t00oEAAAQBAJ

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Light-Years-from-Home-Hardcover-9780778311737/732092225 

The Temperature of Me and You by Brian Zepka #bookreview #YA #scifi

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews14 Comments

Sixteen-year-old Dylan Highmark thought his winter was going to be full of boring shifts at the Dairy Queen, until he finds himself in love with a boy who’s literally too hot to handle.

Dylan has always wanted a boyfriend, but the suburbs surrounding Philadelphia do not have a lot in the way of options. Then, in walks Jordan, a completely normal (and undeniably cute) boy who also happens to run at a cool 110 degrees Fahrenheit. When the boys start spending time together, Dylan begins feeling all kinds of ways, and when he spikes a fever for two weeks and is suddenly coughing flames, he thinks he might be suffering from something more than just a crush. Jordan forces Dylan to keep his symptoms a secret. But as the pressure mounts and Dylan becomes distant with his closest friends and family, he pushes Jordan for answers. Jordan’s revelations of why he’s like this, where he came from, and who’s after him leaves Dylan realizing how much first love is truly out of this world. And if Earth supports life that breathes oxygen, then love can only keep Jordan and Dylan together for so long.

Full confession – from the description and cover, for some reason I thought Jordan would be an alien. That was an incorrect assumption.

Dylan’s ride or die friendships with Perry and Kirsten is one of my favorite aspects of this story. They absolutely show up for each other. I also chuckled at how Dylan’s parents maybe became a little oversupportive when he came out to them. His teasing relationship with his little sister is adorable. The author also changed my opinion about a mean, petty character, and that person turned out to have a pretty good redemption arc.

Other areas I struggled with. Pacing is uneven, but then it seems like a rush to get to the ending. I even wondered if there was a sequel since everything wraps up so quickly. With some character choices and situations, suspending my disbelief became difficult. They didn’t seem logical within the story, and I was left scratching my head when some aspects were never mentioned again. The storyline is interesting, but I craved more of an explanation for Jordan’s and Dylan’s powers.

Reviews are split, and plenty of readers adored this book. It’s an enjoyable read, but it’s one I’d recommend for the younger end of the YA spectrum.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.